"Summer cooking, to me, means simple shareable dishes, honoring what's in season. With courgettes in full abundance, this recipe is a great way to elevate the humble vegetable and use it in an unexpected way. I love serving this with Greek yogurt or labneh, a fresh herb salad, and some bread as part of a mezze spread."

— Victoria Huisman, more bread



INGREDIENTS

Serves four

- 4 large courgettes, cut in half lengthways

- 5 garlic cloves, smashed

- 1 tsp Daphnis & Chloe Wild Thyme (about 8-10 blossoms)

- 2 tsp Daphnis & Chloe Aegean Isle Oregano

- 1,5 tsp coarse sea salt

- 70ml cooking olive oil

- 1 lemon, zest

- 1,5 tbsp lemon juice

- A handful of fresh mint

- Extra drizzle of Olea Pia olive oil

HOW TO 

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C and line a tray with baking paper.
2. Prepare the seasoning. Smash the garlic cloves by pressing them against your chopping board with the flat edge of a knife. Crush the thyme and oregano by rubbing them between your palms or fingers.
3. Cut the courgettes in half lengthways. Using a paring knife, make a few 1 cm slits into the cut side of each courgette – lengthways, crossways, or diagonally.
4. Place the courgettes cut side up on a tray and drizzle liberally with oil, making sure each piece is drenched in olive oil. Season with salt, garlic, thyme, and oregano.
5. Turn the courgettes around so the cut side faces down. Bake for 45-60 minutes. Try to disturb them as little as possible, only checking for the browning of the vegetables. The courgettes should be completely tender, cooked through, and golden brown. If they haven't reached this stage yet, give them a bit more time.
6. Remove the baking tray from the oven and allow the courgettes to cool down. Discard the garlic cloves, but keep the thyme and oregano.
7. Once the courgettes have cooled, scrape out their flesh and transfer it to a sieve to release excess liquid.
8. Heat a shallow frying pan with olive oil. Fry around 10 mint leaves until they become crunchy. Remove from heat and set aside.
9. After 30 minutes, transfer the courgettes to a mixing bowl. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, fried mint, and an extra drizzle of the Olea Pia olive oil to the courgettes. Mix everything together until it reaches a baba ghanoush-like consistency. Taste and add a pinch of salt or a splash of lemon juice if needed.
10. Transfer to a plate or bowl for serving.

HERB SALAD

INGREDIENTS

- A handful of flat-leaf parsley

- A handful of dill

- A handful of fresh mint

- 1 tbsp Daphnis & Chloe Sesame Seeds

- Olea Pia olive oil

HOW TO

1. Wash and pick mint, parsley, and dill leaves.
2. Place the leaves in a small bowl.
3. Drizzle with Olea Pia olive oil and mix gently with your hands.
4. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the salad.

YOGURT DIP

INGREDIENTS

- Plain full-fat Greek yogurt

- Olea Pia olive oil

HOW TO

1. Mix a cup of yogurt with a pinch of salt.
2. Drizzle with Olea Pia and serve.

NOTE

You can use coconut yogurt if opting for a vegan or lactose-free alternative.